Reducing the amount of trash you and your family make is a conscious decision. However, once you stop and realize how much garbage is produced on a daily basis, you may be motivated to challenge yourself and your family to change the way you do things around the house. With a little effort, you may be surprised at how much you can reduce your daily trash and conserve resources.
But what about in the garden? Are there easy ways to reduce your trash while planting a nice garden? Check out these garbage-free gardening ideas:
- Plant native drought-resistant plants rather than lawns if and when possible. This will cut down on water and maintenance, especially if you live in an area where hot, dry summers are the norm.Catch the rain! Rainwater is a great way to conserve water by reusing it to water plants and lawns. There are elaborate rain catchers you can buy, but a big barrel works too. Just be sure to cover the barrels or put a screen on it to keep leaves, animals, and other debris from falling in.If you need to water your lawns, consider an irrigation system that has a rainwater sensor. This will help cut down on useless waterings. Check out clay pot irrigation here! Buy in bulk when you buy mulch or other products. See if you can pick it up from the center by borrowing a truck or having it delivered. Saves all the plastic bags you have to get rid of when buying by the bag.Recycle the pots and flats you get from the nursery. Most nurseries will take them back and reuse them.Grow too many zucchinis? Share with your friends, family, and perhaps the local food bank.Compost your garden leftovers. At the end of the year, put your garden scraps in the compost, not in the trash.
Got any more clever ideas? Share them here.
